This burger was super-filling. The patty was handmade and it was nearly as thick as my mom makes them (she says I don't eat enough meat and am thereby lacking essential nutrients). Well, nothing's lacking in this beautiful piece of beef. Served with lettuce, tomato and pickle, it's a simple burger which tastes great. (So was the house salad -- it was fresh and had a delicious vinaigrette). This Ontario St. neighbourhood bar is covered in damask wallpaper, boasts a digital jukebox, and has ultra-comfy tufted booths. Naturally, locals love it. The burger was inhaled plain -- ketchup or mustard weren’t necessary. The bun was soft and hit the spot. You must try it.

Anyplace that serves light, yummy food (made from scratch) right up until last call is a winner in my eyes. The menu is 100 per cent gluten-free, making this downtown Brant St. resto a popular spot. I ordered three tacos: Spicy Brussels Sprout, Chipotle Sweet Potato, and Fish. The sweet potato taco was my favourite, with an awesome crunchy coating. I almost ate the whole thing in two bites. All pickled items are made in-house, and their flavour combos are kind of rad. Great service, too.

This adorable resto offers up a variety of unconventional gelato flavours such as avocado, charcoal, and blueberry basil sorbet. (Get a large and try all three flavours!). This cute bistro is a hidden gem when it comes to dessert, and pizza alike. Located in downtown Oakville’s Towne Square, the restaurant is inspired by piazza culture. With everything from cappuccino to handmade pizza, to wine, there's something or everyone. They’ve got plenty of seating, plus two patios (one for dining, and the red seats for gelato and other cafe items) Service is friendly.

One bite made me forget I was in an outdated shopping mall most frequented by my mom (and other seniors) and students on lunch break. This fried calamari was sublime. Tavolo, a longtime favourite, has been wowing Oakville diners who typically frequent other fabulous restos owned by Catch Hospitality Group. Try flagging a server on a Sunday night -- it's insanely busy. The pizza is phenomenal, too -- fresh, fresh, fresh ingredients and that combination of margherita pizza plus salami ... it's heavenly.

The short ribs at Trattoria Timone should be on every meat eater's bucket list. Seriously ... it was an exquisite culinary experience. (Cheers to head chef Michel Fronteddu!) This long-time east-end favourite in the Oakville Entertainment Centrum has undergone renovations. It rocks a nautical theme, and it's elegant and fun all wrapped in one. We started with the grilled calamari, which was crispy, not greasy, and served atop mixed greens. A great aioli with chives gave it a flavour boost. The gnocchi with veal ragu came in a creamy sauce, and it was phenomenal (the meat was well-done, while crispy asparagus and red peppers added texture to the dish). As for those short ribs … they were oh-so-tender and it was essentially pure carnivore heaven. Ribs were served with sweet potato fries, which I can't stop raving about, alongside a spicy aioli. Service was outstanding and so was the meal.

The 5 hottest restaurants in Halton for the week of Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 were based on the amount of organic page views and searches these restaurants received on inhalton.com.